


i don't think that man's ever been to therapy school

by TheAndromedaRecord



Series: The Zukka Shitpost Records [3]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Crack Treated Seriously, First Kiss, Fluff and Crack, Love Confessions, M/M, Mistaken Identity, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, aang is an incurable prankster, feat: certified DILF therapist Wang Fire, yet ANOTHER fic based on a tumblr shitpost
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-07
Updated: 2020-07-07
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:27:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25130044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAndromedaRecord/pseuds/TheAndromedaRecord
Summary: Zuko just needs someone to talk about his feelings with. Aang recommends definitely real therapist Wang Fire.
Relationships: Aang & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: The Zukka Shitpost Records [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1817854
Comments: 100
Kudos: 1291





	i don't think that man's ever been to therapy school

**Author's Note:**

> Based on this post: https://gayavatarstyle.tumblr.com/post/621248641474199552/zuko-i-just-need-an-impartial-third-party-to-talk

Zuko couldn’t afford distractions. Distractions meant he got sloppy, and the smallest mistake could lead to countless ripple effects in the eggshell-fragile Fire Nation. He didn’t have time for inconvenient feelings or uncertainties. He needed to be a strong leader and depend on his advisors and friends.

The last thing he needed was develop extremely complicated and possibly romantic feelings for one of his closest confidantes, but of course he had to go and do it anyway. It had taken him an embarrassingly long time to realize that what he felt for Sokka was more than simple friendship, but in his defense, Sokka was one of the first friends his own age Zuko had ever made.

Usually, when Zuko had problems with feelings, he went to Sokka, but that was obviously out of the question. Iroh would know what to do, but he was on a diplomatic trip to the Northern Water Tribe. Fortunately, Zuko knew someone with a history of solving problems who was more than willing to do so. Which is how Zuko found himself sequestered in a barely-used tea room of the palace, sitting across from Aang.

“I’m just so confused,” Zuko explained. “I mean, I really like him! I think it’s a crush? I dunno, I haven’t had that many crushes. But I have so many feelings I don’t know how to sort through, and they’re starting to affect my work, and I can’t afford that.” He sighed. “I just need an impartial third party to talk about these things with.”

Aang frowned thoughtfully. “I’m not sure how impartial I can be.”

“You’re the Avatar! You’re the most impartial mediator there is!”

“Well, if I help you with this, I don’t think I could hide it from Katara.”

Zuko groaned and rested his chin in his hands.

“Which wouldn’t be bad!” Aang insisted. “Katara’s great! I’m sure she’d love for you to date her brother.”

“But she’d tell him,” Zuko pointed out. “I don’t want that.”

“Look,” Aang said, “I really don’t see why you’re so insistent on keeping it a secret. I was always open about my feelings for Katara, and look where it got us.”

“You’re not in charge of a nation, and Katara isn’t your ambassador.” Zuko sighed. “Aang, you have to understand. I don’t have the luxury of going on fun dates like a teenager.”

“You’re still a teenager.”

“In age, yeah. But I have to be an adult. I have to be strong in order to undo the past 100 years. If the world is to have any hope of healing, every move I make has to be calculated, and I can’t mess up. If I messed up my friendship with my only ambassador I trust completely? That would be catastrophic. I have to be careful. I have to be totally and completely sure of what I’m feeling.”

“Sounds like a lot of pressure,” Aang said. “Zuko, you’re great and I say this in the nicest way possible, but I don’t think there’s a chance of you achieving emotional self-understanding by yourself as you are right now. Have you thought about talking to a therapist?”

“Right, because that’s a great idea. Let one person in on all the personal weaknesses of the Firelord.” Zuko took a sip of his tea. “If you know any therapist I can trust, I’m all ears.”

Aang perked up, his eyes twinkling with what Zuko hoped was an innocent desire to help. “I actually know a great therapist! He helped me when I was having trouble sleeping. His name’s Wang Fire.”

“Wang Fire?” Zuko scoffed. “That’s not a real name.”

“Hey, it’s his real name! And he’s really sensitive about it!”

“Sorry,” Zuko muttered. “So, ah, do you think I could meet him?”

“Of course! I’ll let him know you’d like a session. I’m sure he can fit into your schedule.”

* * *

There was a big problem with Wang Fire, and Zuko noticed it as soon as he sat down awkwardly on the couch.

He was hot. Way too hot. A real DILF. Zuko didn’t even have a thing for older guys. And yet.

“So, Firelord Zuko,” Wang said. “What brings you into my office today?”

Zuko reminded himself to throw Aang off a roof next time they talked. Wang seemed to have maybe an inch or two on him, not that Zuko could really tell while he was sitting down. He just had tall energy.

“Um,” he said. “It’s, ah. I think I, uh. Um.”

Wang crossed one leg over the other, balancing his pad of parchment in his lap and readying his brush to take notes. “Take your time.”

Zuko sighed. “I am developing confusing feelings towards one of my best friends.”

“Oh? Tell me about these feelings.”

“So, this friend of mine is one of the funniest guys I’ve ever met. We’ve always worked really well together, both in and out of fighting. But lately I’ve noticed that I really like looking at his face and I get sad when he leaves and I, um, really like it when he touches me? Which are all things I felt about my last girlfriend. Except I’m in charge of a country so I don’t really have time to be going on dates.” Zuko drew his hands over his face—his cheeks were burning. “I’m really bad at people. He’s the people person. He can charm anyone. Including me, I guess. But I have no idea what to do.”

“Hmmmm,” Wang said contemplatively. “Well, ah, thank you for being so open with me. I know it’s not easy to voice your feelings. This friend of yours…he’s your Southern Water Tribe ambassador, correct?”

Zuko frowned. “Am I really that obvious?”

“No, I’m just very smart.”

“Well, since you’re so smart, you know what I should do, right?”

“Absolutely,” Wang said confidently. “I think you should kiss him on the lips.”

Wang’s confidence was very sexy. Zuko regretted stopping Combustion Man from killing Aang.

“You really think so?”

“He’s your friend. You should trust him to help you work through your feelings, and trust that your friendship is strong enough to weather this even if a relationship doesn’t work out.” Wang leaned forward in his chair to put a hand on Zuko’s shoulder, and Zuko blushed. “You’re only 19, Firelord. You’re allowed to have fun and make mistakes. If worse comes to worst, you have plenty of people willing to help you clean up your messes.”

Zuko smiled. “That’s some really good advice, actually.” He took a deep, steadying breath. “Okay. I’m going to tell Sokka how I feel.”

Wang patted him on the back. “Go get your man, your flaminess!”

“Um, wait, how do I word it? My confession, that is. I’m not great with words.”

Wang nodded sagely. “Just tell him what you told me.”

“But what if I don’t want him to know all that I told you just yet?”

Wang frowned. “Hold on. Then why did you tell me?”

Zuko blinked, confused. “Because you’re not Sokka?”

Wang waved a hand. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Step with me outside of the bit. Who do you think I am?”

“You’re Wang Fire? The therapist Aang recommended?”

Wang stood up and banged his forehead against the wall with a thud. “Tui and La,” he announced, “I really wanged it this time.”

“What’s going on?”

Wang sighed, turned around, and tugged on his beard until it came clean off to reveal—

“Sokka?” Zuko gasped.

“Sorry,” Sokka said sheepishly. “I thought this was like, a bit? And that you knew the whole time? This was Aang’s idea. I guess I forgot you can be a bit dense.”

Zuko buried his face in his hands as his cheeks burned hotter than any fire he could ever produce. “So you heard all that,” he squeaked. “I just told you…oh, Agni.”

Sokka patted him on the shoulder. “Hey, it’s not all bad! Now you’re not making yourself all nervous over confessing!”

“That’s not helpful!”

“Um, okay. Is this helpful?”

Sokka pulled one of Zuko’s hands away from his face and pressed a kiss to the palm, just the briefest touch of feather-light lips that nearly made Zuko pass out.

“Uh,” Zuko said eloquently. “Yeah.”

“Part of therapy is about exploring boundaries, Zuko. Finding out what you want.” Sokka kissed the inside of Zuko’s wrist. “Is this what you want?”

With Sokka’s lips on his skin, Zuko no longer needed deliberation on his feelings. He took Sokka by the collar and pulled him down to kiss him properly.

**Author's Note:**

> follow my tumblr at theandromeda record for more zukka!


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